Mail-box.



No. 877,006. PATENTED JAN'.21,1908. J. M. $003551.

MAIL BOX. 1 APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1907.

ihuv INVENTIOR,

A TIM/v5 4 THE NORRIS PETERS 5a., WASHINGTON, n. c

in accordance with the invention. a sectional plan view of the same onthe line JOHN MORGAN SCOBEE, OF BAGDAD, KENTUCKY.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

Application filed April 22- 1907- Scrial No. 3691688- To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MORGAN SooBEE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bagdad, in the county of Shelby and State of Kentucky, haveinvented a new and useful Mail-Box, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to mail boxes adapted more especially for use onrural free delivery routes, and has for its principal object to so mountand arrange the box that it may serve as a signal to the carrier. toindicate that mail is awaiting collection and to the owner that mail hasbeen deposited.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mail box and mail boxsupport of such construction as to permit the turning of the mail box toa variety of positions for the purpose of displaying different signals.A still further object of the invention is to so mount and arrange thebox that it will prove convenient for the carrier in gathering mail, thebox being so arranged as to display to the carrier approaching thedifferent stations the presence or absence of mail to be collected, andthe turning movement of the box being in the direction in which thecarrier is traveling, so that there will be no necessity of losing timein the setting of display signals.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thisclass which may be arranged at either side of the road, and will proveequally effective for carriers traveling in either direction.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafterappear, the invention consists in certain novel features ofconstructionand arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed .outin the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in theform, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be madewithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of a mail box support constructed and arranged Fig. 2 is 22 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the supporting bracket detached.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

On a suitable post A at either side of the road is secured a casting 10that is provided at its upper end with a spider 11 carrying a ring 12 inwhich are formed four notches 13, arranged at equi-distant intervals.,From the lower portionpf the casting projects a lug 15, and the lug andspider are provided with openings for the reception of a pivot pin 16,the lower portion of said pin having an opening for the passage of alinch pin 17, or like securing device. The pin 16 is carried by a disk18 that is firmly secured to the central portion of the bottom of themail box 19, and the disk seats partly within the ring 12, so that thebox will be firmly supported.

The upper side of the disk is provided with a diametrically extendingrecess 20 for the passage of a bolt 21 which extends toward both ends ofthe mail box, and depending from the bolt is a dog 21 that is arrangedto I enter any one of the locking notches 13 for the purpose of holdingthe mail box in any position to which it may be adjusted. This dog isnormally held in locked position by a helical compression spring 22, andthe spring may be compressed by moving the bolt in the directionindicated by the arrow, so that the bolt being withdrawn, the box may beturned around either for a partial or a full revolution, and then lookedin place by simply releasing the bolt.

The mail box is of any convenient shape and size, and is provided at oneend with a hinged door 25. From the lower portion of the door projects alug 26, that is adapted to engage a finger piece or handle 27 that issecured to the forward end of the bolt 21, so that when the door isswung down to the horizontal, or open position, the lug will rideagainst the handle 27 and will force the bolt 21 in the directionindicated by the arrow, thus moving the dog to release position andleaving the box free, so that it may be turned by the carrier, or by thebox owner. Projecting from the upper end of the handle, or V forming acontinuation of the bolt, is a lug or flange 29, against which the lug26 seats when the door is moved to open position.

At the opposite end of the bolt is a handle 31, which may be pulled forthe purpose of moving the bolt to release position, and effectingturning of the box when necessary.

In order to more fully explain the signaling advantages of the box, thelatter is supposed to be arranged at the. north side of a road, whilethe route of the carrier is such that he approaches the box from thewest. One side of the box is painted blue to indicate the absence ofmail, and the other side red, to indicate that mail has been deposited.The door of the box is painted white, and when mail is in the box inreadiness to be collected, the proprietor turns the box, so that thedoor faces the road, and the broad sides of the box are exposed to viewas the carrier approaches, and as a matter of fact, it makes nodifference from which direction he approaches, for the reason thattheposition of'the box, and not the color displayed indicates that mailis to be collected. 7

When the carrier collects the mail and deposits mail for the owner, heturns the box to the extent of a quarter revolution in the 'direction inwhich he is traveling, so that the red side of the box is exposed toview from the house, indicating that mail has been deosited. If on theother hand he collects, but does not deposit any mail, he turns the boxa quarter revolution in the opposite direction, thus displaying the blueside of the box to the house. In either case the device is advantageousto the carrier, in that having made a collection he moves the box to aposition parallel with the road, and it is not necessary for him to stopand examine the box, whether the owner removes the deposited mail ornot, thus removing one of the principal objections to mail boxes of thisgeneral class Where the carrier is compelled to open every 7 box,whether containing mail to be collected or not.

Inasmuch as the unlocking and opening of the mail box door automaticallyunlocks the box, it is a simple matter for the carrier to turn the boxto either signaling position without the necessity of operating anyother releasing devices, and it is to his own interest to move the boxfrom a position which would otherwise necessitate his stopping toexamine the box on the next trip or trips.

I claim 1. A pivotally mounted mail box arranged to swing in ahorizontal plane to dill erent signaling positions, means for lockingthe box in any osition to which it is adjusted, and a movab e doorhaving means which on opening movement of the door engages and moves thelocking means to release position.

2. In a device of the class s ecified, a bracket having an opening anprovided with a notched ring, a mail box, a pivot pin secured to thebottom of the box and extending through the opening, a sprin actuatedlocking bolt extending horizontal y beneath the box and provided withpendent handles near each end of the box, said bolt being arranged toenter the notches of the ring, and bolt guides secured to the bottom ofthe box at points adjacent the handles.

3. In a device of the class specified, a pivot bracket having a notchedring, a mail box, a pivot pin secured to the bottom'of the box andmounted in the bracket, a spring actuated bolt carried by the box andarranged to enter the notches, and means for automatically moving saidbolt to release position when the mail box is opened.

4. In combination, a bracket, a spider and a lug projecting therefromand provided with vertically alined openings, a ring formed in tegralwith the bracket and provided with a plurality of equi-distantly spacednotches, a mail box, a disk secured to the bottom of the box and rovidedwith a pivot pin arranged to exten through said openings, said diskhavin a diametrically extendin slot, a lock ing bo t extending throughthe s 0t, and provided with a handle at each end, a dog carried by thebolt and arranged to engage the f" notches, and a spring tending to movethe/ bolt to locking position.

5. A mail box having a hinged door, a sup port on which the box ispivoted, means for locking the box in adjusted position, and means fortransmitting movement from the door to the locking means to effectrelease of the latter when the door is opened.

6. In a device of the class specified, a pivotally mounted mail box, alocking bolt having a handle at one end, a lug projecting from thehandle, a hinged door for closing the box, and a lug dependin from saiddoor and arranged to engage the liandle and thereby force the bolt torelease position.

7. In a device of the class specified, a pivotally mounted mail box, alocking bolt therefor, a handle at one end of the bolt, a stopprojecting from the handle, a box door, and a lug extending from thedoor and arranged to engage the handle to effect movement of the bolt torelease position, said stop serving to limit movement of the lug andopening movement of the door.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MORGAN SCOBEE.

Witnesses:

CHAs. CoNNELL, IIIRAM F. BOHANNON.

